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Sister State Relations
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 36, H.D. 1
AUTHORIZING AND REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO ESTABLISH A SISTER-STATE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE OF HAWAII OF THE UNITED STATES AND
THE STATE OF RABAT-SALÉ-ZEMMOUR-ZAËR OF THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO.
WHEREAS, Hawaii
maintains a heritage of international participation and cultural
sensitivity unparalleled in other states due to its multicultural
population since the reign of the Hawaiian monarchy in the early
nineteenth century; and
WHEREAS, since 1981, the Legislature has instituted sister-state
relationships as a means of asserting its active participation in
international matters; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii currently maintains 13 sister-state relationships;
and
WHEREAS, the Legislature finds it advantageous to continue to pursue
sister-state relationships, for both cultural and economic
development reasons, with attention focused on fostering the most
productive ties; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii initiated informal relations with the Moroccan state
of Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaër, as both states hosted a World Youth
Congress assembly administered by Peace Child International of the
United Kingdom; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature extends its gratitude to His Majesty King
Mohammed VI and his prime minister, His Excellency Mr. Driss Jettou,
for graciously hosting Hawaii's designated representative to Morocco
at the Moroccan-hosted Second World Youth Congress in August, 2003;
and
WHEREAS, the Legislature notes many other connections between our
states, including the semester-long visit of Mr. Driss Semlani, a
teacher from El Malek Assaadi High School in Kenitra, Morocco, to
Hawaii in the spring of 2002 as part of the New Initiative Teacher
Exchange program, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State and
the Moroccan-American Commission on Educational and Cultural
Exchange; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature also notes that Ms. Atiqa Hachimi, a
Moroccan citizen and doctoral candidate in linguistics at the
University of Hawaii at Manoa, has been working diligently to expand
the Arabic language program at the University; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Jan Rumi, who attended the Second World Youth Congress
in 2003 as an adult observer, is due to be confirmed as the Honorary
Counsel for the Kingdom of Morocco located in Honolulu; and
WHEREAS, the state of Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaër maintains a population
of about two million residents, three-fourths of whom live in urban
areas on the eastern Atlantic coast, including the city of Rabat,
the seat of the Kingdom of Morocco; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that, pending Congressional
ratification, negotiations have been completed between the United
States government and the Kingdom of Morocco to secure a free trade
agreement as part of the Middle East Free Trade Area Initiative of
President George W. Bush; and
WHEREAS, His Excellency Mr. Hassan Amrani, the Governor of the state
of Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaër, has expressed his wish to pursue a
sister-state relationship with Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature believes this relationship would be
mutually beneficial and sustainable, advancing its goals for
international peace and brotherhood; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second
Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the
Senate concurring, that the Governor is authorized and requested to
take all necessary actions to establish a sister-state relationship
with the state of Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaër, Kingdom of Morocco, to
include economic, social, governmental, educational, and cultural
exchange; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state of Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaër be
offered the privileges and honors that Hawaii extends to its
sister-states and provinces; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this sister-state relationship continue
until July 1, 2009; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is requested to report to
the Legislature on the progress made with respect to this Concurrent
Resolution no later than 20 days before the convening of the Regular
Session of 2005; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Secretary of State and the
embassy in Rabat are requested to assist in the matters proposed by
this Concurrent Resolution; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the business community of Hawaii is also
requested to assist in the matters proposed by this Concurrent
Resolution, as in all matters concerning sister-state relations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent
Resolution be transmitted to the following persons:
(1) The Honorable Colin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State;
(2) His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Benaïssa, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Kingdom of Morocco;
(3) The Honorable Robert Zoellick, the U.S. Trade Representative;
(4) The Honorable Thomas Riley, the U.S. Ambassador-designee to the
Kingdom of Morocco;
(5) His Excellency Mr. Aziz Mekouar, the Moroccan Ambassador to the
U.S.;
(6) The Congressional delegation from Hawaii;
(7) The Honorable Linda Lingle, Governor of Hawaii;
(8) His Excellency Mr. Hassan Amrani, the Governor of the state of
Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaër;
(9) Mr. Evan Dobelle,
President of the University of Hawaii;
(10) Mr. Jim Tollefson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the
Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; and
(11) Mr. Jan Rumi, Honorary Counsel for the Kingdom of Morocco.
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